The invention relates to a liquid-crystal display employing two carrier plates, between which is disposed a liquid-crystal layer which is hermetically sealed therebetwen, with the plates having respective electrode coatings on their inner surfaces, and in which at least one carrier plate has a polarizer disposed on its outer surface comprising a chemically inert, transparent and optically inactive protective foil and a dichroitic layer disposed between the protective foil and the associated carrier plate. Such display structures are known, for example from U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,731,986. See also Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol. 18, No. 4, Pages 127 and 128, regarding operation of such displays.
To enable utilization of different field effects, for example the TN effect (twisted nematic), the DAP (deformation of aligned phases), the bistability effect or the so-called guest-host effect, as well as in certain other display principles, it is required or useful, to provide the liquid-crystal cell with at least one polarizer. Usually, the liquid-crystal cell is disposed between two linear polarizers with such polarizers normally containing a dichroitic layer as the polarization-active material, for example a stretched poly-vinyl alcohol, colored with iodine, which is protected from surrounding influences by a protective foil covering layer composed of a chemically inert, transparent and optically inactive materials, both layers are integrated with the supporting plate to form a multi-layer structure, preferably with a suitable glue inserted between the dichroitic layer and the plate.
Experience has indicated that polarizers heretofore employed possess certain inherent faults. For example, the glue as well as the dichroitic layer lose their shape in the course of time with both materials slowly expanding whereby they may lift off of the plate, and in addition the polarization force of the dichroitic layer, which may be color-selective, slowly disappear whereby the display qualities steadily deteriorate whereby the display may be unusable after merely a few weeks time.